Sol Palmeras

“We'll be back.....again.”

We just returned from another week at the Sol Palmeras. The staff and hotel were great as usual. Food is definitely above par for the country. Special shout out to Ernesto at the lobby bar, Jaime in the Buffet, , Maria in the office, Raime, Jorge Luis, Cutting and Yahimy were all exceptional server… more

We just returned from another week at the Sol Palmeras. The staff and hotel were great as usual. Food is definitely above par for the country. Special shout out to Ernesto at the lobby bar, Jaime in the Buffet, , Maria in the office, Raime, Jorge Luis, Cutting and Yahimy were all exceptional servers. The resort was operating as always and we did not experience any food shortages or power outages which we were very grateful for. They is a bit of a shortage of butter, but it was available at breakfast. Our only issue ever with the resort is that the pool rules aren't really enforced and therefore you are surrounded by smokers, all day long, as there are a majority of international guests from countries where smoking is still predominant. Even though it says no smoking at the pool deck. Also kids running around the pool, even though it says no running. Otherwise very enjoyable week.

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“Excellent Vacation in Sol Palmeras”

I went to Sol Palmeras with my husband and two children, ages 9 and 13. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed every moment of our stay there. The hotel is old, but well maintained and very clean. All common areas and the garden were clean and tidy at all times. Our room was spacious and renovated, b… more

I went to Sol Palmeras with my husband and two children, ages 9 and 13. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed every moment of our stay there. The hotel is old, but well maintained and very clean. All common areas and the garden were clean and tidy at all times. Our room was spacious and renovated, but it could use additional paint touch up and a better sleeping arrangement in the sitting area. The balcony was big and we had a pool view, which was amazing! The bedding was pristine clean and the room was swiped and tidied daily, with fresh towels provided when we needed. The maids were friendly, polite and hardworking. The food was good, and there was always a good selection of fresh salads, fresh fruits, cheeses, bread, pasta, pastries, wood oven baked pizza, eggs in different ways, pork, tuna, burgers, french fries, steamed veggies, sea food etc. The snack bar offered burgers and sausages, with salads and bread during the day and the ice cream stand offerred an excellent ice cream. There was always something to eat and drink (variety of juices, coffee, tea, excellent white wine). We are not big on alcohol or cocktails, so I can't comment on the selection. The pool area is great, with lots of activities for kids and grown ups: ping pong table, volleyball and basketball, zumba and water aerobics classes, line dancing, kids activities and games with animators. Clean beach towels were provided daily. The best part of the resort is definitely the beach - white sand and shallow, clean and warm ocean, perfect for relaxation and having fun. Animators were engaging the guests with stretching exercises, line dancing and beach volleyball. The staff all over the resort was polite, welcoming and professional, going out of their ways to make our stay enjoyable. The highlight of our vacation was snorkeling in the Bay of Pigs with Alejandro. We highly recommend it as it was perfectly organized, with great transportation to and from the location (2h drive in each direction). We had two snorkeling sessions to explore corals and the colorful wildfile in the bay, and to see the shipwreck which was a further away from the shore, and finally had a lunch at a traditional restaurant.

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“A Cuba Family Christmas Getaway Spot”

My family and I really enjoyed staying at Sol Palmeras. Things we liked: - Good beer and great mixed cocktails (24 hour bar!) - The layout of the resort, which has several natural meeting points (lobby, pool area, or beach area) - Our room was pleasant - The free sea kayaks - It was easy to get to… more

My family and I really enjoyed staying at Sol Palmeras. Things we liked: - Good beer and great mixed cocktails (24 hour bar!) - The layout of the resort, which has several natural meeting points (lobby, pool area, or beach area) - Our room was pleasant - The free sea kayaks - It was easy to get to Havana and back for a daytrip - The evening shows - The overall festive (and family-friendly) vibe. Because we were there on Christmas Eve the resort put out TONS of delicious drinks and there was a boisterous atmosphere going until midnight. Best of all is the beach, which is long and sandy and has tons of beach chairs. We never worried about finding a few available. The ocean water was very clear and perfect for swimming/playing/just lazing about it. Of course, this being Cuba you have to set your expectations. We were a bit nervous because of some of the things we read online about Cuba in general but all our fears turned out to be overblown: - The food isn't wow but it's totally fine - There were spoons! - There was butter Don't let the naysayers about Cuba ruin your experience! We had a great time at Sol Palmeras! tip: having lots of $1 USD to tip all the hardworking staff was very handy. We also brought small gifts to give away. tip 2: the hamburgers are very tasty. You can get the at the BBQ as well as the buffet for lunch.

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“Sol Palmera's Colossal Size, Space and Comfort Unrivalled”

As one of the first hotels built in Varadero backed by a foreign company (Sol by Melia of Spain) in 1990, the first thing you notice is the size and grandeur of the hotel's marble laden, horseshoe shaped, two level lobby bar and lounge area. Its awesome. Decked out with loads of comfortable furnitu… more

As one of the first hotels built in Varadero backed by a foreign company (Sol by Melia of Spain) in 1990, the first thing you notice is the size and grandeur of the hotel's marble laden, horseshoe shaped, two level lobby bar and lounge area. Its awesome. Decked out with loads of comfortable furniture including large leather couches, large cushioned chairs alongside plenty of tables and chairs that are great for laptops, drinks and card games, it's a magnificent setup unmatched by few hotels anywhere save for the ritziest ones in the world. What's more, there are more private places to chill out near the coffee bar and on the outdoor patio area while indoors, it's lightly air conditioned and always well lite, offering a cheerful tone as well as respite from the heat and humidity. Nothing's worse than places that turn the lights off or down low in the evening as if to say, "you're not welcome anymore, go to bed." Speaking of places to sit and relax, the partially covered patio area has tables and chairs that are great for lighting up your favourite Cuban cigar and enjoying a cigarette or two with your Cuba Libre or beer! Ahh, Es Cuba! With proper ashtrays too! Like me, guests from Quebec, Ontario, the U.K. and Europe, love this about Cuba! Outside, there's also a separate bar service facility but it wasn't in service on this visit, and when it is, it doesn't serve beer. In short, I wouldn't be at "Sol by Melia" (its new name) without the outdoor patio but when it rains, watch out, the floor can flood, get slippery, chairs and tables wet with cleanup seemingly not a priority. Shame. The icing on the cake at the huge lobby bar lounge is its wall-to-wall plate glass window facing the palm trees and swimming pool (with the ocean in the background). It opens up your world to the tropical oasis outside and my favourite spot for morning cappuccino. In short, the word magnificent comes to mind when I think of Sol Palmeras albeit Oyster dot com begs to differ, calling it "hardly high style," so we disagree but for me at least, I'm struck by the grandeur of the place - it's large welcoming lobby area, good furnishings, marbled floors, clean look, palm tree property and beautiful stretch of white sand beach. Yet the peaceful daytime tranquility belies the hotel's night time atmosphere. It can get loud! In part because of the size of the place but also because the entertainment is either an amped up music machine or kids entertainment, like parents and kids in a sing-along prompted by the the Cuban animation staffer -- not your Cuban band playing traditional Cuban music. Call it Palmera's "split personality," one that alternates between adult folks hoping for the quintessential Cuban experience and families hoping to keep the kids entertained. Rounding out the hotel's offerings, is its all inclusivess, gym, shop, free water-sport rentals, ping pong table, basketball court, beach volleyball, mini golf course ($), energetic animation team, TV in the 24 hour lobby bar, pool bar with seating, kids pool, and large bisected swimming pool with plenty of space, sun beds and lounge chairs, and "fun pub" (disco as most know it). Website reports of the shuttle train service at the resort are out of date. What's the accomodation, food, staff, service and clientele like you ask? Keep in mind I'm not a newcomer to Cuba, not your over the top, pleased with everything type but mature, older male and Cuban veteran visitor who wants comfort, space and an authentic Cuban experience that starts with the entertainment and includes opportunities to socialize with guests and staff, in English. In short, expect some Canadians (shout out to Nicolas and Olek and Oksana of Vancouver, the latter being new Ukrainian Canadians), some Russians and lots of Europeans, so as an English speaking person, it's common to be among lots of people but still feel alone. FRONT DESK SERVICE, PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFF (5 Stars) Check in was fast, efficient with info on restaurant hours written down for you and an e-Brochure that follows. I had no problem changing rooms the next day, and by 2 P.M., which was great - often, this takes far too long! Special thanks to Alicia and everyone for looking after my needs once again! From the wake up calls to calling taxis or arranging for a porter to help you with your bags or a quick trip down to the Chinese restaurant or nearby Plaza, front desk staff and porters are excellent. As usual, they and Dayana in customer service were excellent at helping the three of us from check in right thru to checkout and bus pickup. Lastly, good repeat customers are typically treated to a lobster dinner and like family. ACCOMODATIONS (4 Stars) Melia was the first foreign company to sign on to joint ventures and hotel management contracts with Cuba when the government decided to boost tourism and make it one of the country’s main sources of income. It employed a go big or go home burst of activity building 200 bungalows spread out across the massive property, the 4-storey main building, and 408 rooms now spanning a wide range of room categories that include balconies or terraces. My room on the 3000 level, one above the main lobby floor, was within WIFI service. Most places in the main building are but not all. Renovations in the main building began in 2002 with the remodeling of 164 rooms followed by another 136 rooms in 2024, according to Sol by Melia. The three rooms we got, we're all redone. Our rooms were well appointed and clean. Mine featured a decent sized flat screen TV with satellite TV (a few English movie channels and CNN), mini fridge, clothes closet with a dozen hangers, two drawers, umbrella, iron/ironing board, clothes hook in the hallway,vanity mirror, free safe, a small chair and footstool, two flop chairs and a plastic table and ashtray on the balcony. The bathroom had a shower with one half glass partition (water on floor an issue), good lighting, a hairdryer, toiletries, fresh towels by request, plenty of toilet paper, and no shortage of hot water albeit the shower setup, a rainfall overhead fixture and hand held hose, is tricky; adjusting the temperature in particular. Topping out the superior room was the view - of the pool bar and palm trees- excellent. My only wish was for regular chairs on the balcony with a higher table. In short, workmen and Melia have done a good job updating rooms. In the years since, Melia has grown dramatically in Cuba, now managing 31 properties in Varadero, Holguin, Cayo Coco, Cayo Santa Maria, Havana, Cienfuegos, Camaguey, and the latest in Trinidad de Cuba, according to Travel Courier and Melia officials. Nice. With Melia, its management and standards, you can usually lay your worries to bed and have a good time. ELEVATORS The two main building elevators are modern and in good condition. During our 2 week period there were no breakdowns. If you prefer not riding lifts you can always use the stairs. Nowadays, I like to mix it up, up in the elevator, down by foot. Mind you ground floor rooms are available if you wish to avoid lifts and stairs altogether. Wheelchair access is in place at most places too. PUBLIC WASHROOMS AND CLEANLINESS (5 Star) You can always judge a hotel by its washrooms. Here Sol P gets top marks! Regularly cleaned, well stocked with liquid soap and toilet paper and equipped with a electric hand dryer and a paper towel dispenser, one can't ask for more. Overall, cleanliness is a top priority. We didn't see a single pest our whole two weeks and the bathrooms were mosquito free, which is often a problem at resorts. BEVERAGES (4 Star) The main lobby bar is well stocked with an assortment of international drinks. While there, I saw vodka, gin, whiskey, Havana Club rums, tequila, good dry white wine and sparkling wine (from Spain), a selection of liquors, and good ole Crystal beer! Some Bucanero as well. The Mojitos and Pina Coladas were good at the main bar (but not near grill bar), and fruit juices (except pineapple juice) and soft drinks were available as mix. The only thing I didn't care for was the canned "Spanish beer" at the bungalow area snack bar and shockingly, my morning cappuccinos! All I know is it was Brazilian coffee and it didn't have enough whipped milk or taste great, it was like weak hot chocolate. Some people joked that "the machines put out better cappuccinos." Credit though for the plentiful seating in that area and TVs featuring music and hotel related videos at a decent volume. ENTERTAINMENT (Needs a rethink) Kid friendly, boisterous and now on the main floor outside the buffet restaurant. Enough to drive some adults off to their rooms early, like my two female travel partners and me outside to the patio. As in the past, it was disappointing there were no Cuban bands to give you that Cuban feel! Ones like "Sol y Corazon" (that play Cuatro Palmas) or "Espacio Six" (lead by Charon that plays Plaza America and has original material including "Varadero" and "Distancia") would be great to have upstairs on the lobby bar stage. "Cache" (that play Las Morlas) would be great on the main floor given their amp and electric hookups and bigger band sound. All of these bands are guaranteed to get adults up and dancing and wanting to return! SERVICE (3 - 4 Star) Across the board GOOD including at the lobby and pool bar but where it lags is out on the patio at night. I tipped a staffer and asked him to check on me that week, saying I would tip him for service but never saw him again, nor anyone else. Problem is they may only have one guy tasked with visiting tables and when he does, he stays inside. So, some get service, some none. For me, this is a problem when I'm by myself and don't want to leave things unattended at my table (somebody swiped my tablet last year at another resort. A first mind you). Adding a second staffer would help. Finally, a shout out to Francisco and the boys who welcome you without fail each time you step up to the bar! That's not necessarily something you get everywhere else. Getting the mini train going again - say on a fixed schedule of 10 A.M, 2 P.M. and 7 P.M. running down past the bungalow area, Asian restaurant and snack bar enroute to and from Plaza America - would be GREAT given the size of the resort and spread out bungalows. It would also be a nice little excursion for the kids and adults. With my bad knee on this visit and no doubt others with their own mobility issues, it would be great added value. PROPERTY AND LANDSCAPING Well tended to mature palm trees and bushes dot the landscape. Beautiful. The property itself with it's sprawling bungalow area will likely remain Varadero's largest hotel property. SWIMMING POOL AND POOL BAR Kept clean, it's a selling feature given it's size, sun beds, plenty of lounge chairs and great pool bar that dissects the meandering pool and offers an alternative to the main lobby bar during the day. What's more, tables and chairs ring the bar offering you the choice of dodging the sun or tanning at your will. You can smoking there too s also which is great. Cocktails, beer on tap and refreshments are on hand. As for kids "running around" unchecked (as one guest complained), was not a problem. The little ones getting off on running or walking on water thanks to a floatation matt staff throw out at one end of the pool but so what? For those who just don't like kids, they can always go to an adults only resort. I do. And, if guests having a cigarette OUTDOORS around the pool irritates you, there's plenty of space to avoid that or alternatively, you can go to some Mexican resorts that forbid smoking everywhere, even outdoors, lol. BEACH AND BEACH BAR The beach, like most along the Punta Hicacos peninsula - the largest commercial beach in the world - is very nice. Free of seaweed and rocks, it eases ever so gently into deeper water. You'II find plenty of loungers in good condition equipped with parasols. Life guard duty provides a safety look out and warns of rough water days etc. Unfortunately, currently there's no beach bar so those wanting drinks must hike back up to the resort's pool bar or main building. No word on when that will be rectified. SNACKS/SNACK BARS (Needs improvement) As important as this is, this is a weak point. The late night snacks at the lobby bar are bland ham or ham and cheese sandwiches, nothing more (sadly, no pizza). On the other hand, the bungalow area snack bar has good grilled tuna and chicken banquette sandwiches burgers, hot dogs and even french fries but it only runs from ~ 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. and it's a hike from the main building. Ketchup and mustard is on hand. There's also a new grill station by the beach that offered pork sausages and burgers alongside a salad station. Among the three of us, nobody thought the greasy food looked good albeit there were people eating there. If I got it right, the lobster left out on a table in the open sun, was a signal that you have the option to pay for grilled lobster. Problem was this sales tool left me feeling squeamish about that. Could use some rethink and clean, new grill. A LA CARTE DINING - THREE AND HALF STARS Having been to dozens and dozens of Cuban resorts, I can honestly say the a la carte dining here is an enjoyable experience. You feel like it's a night out back home. Service is good, the wine is good (if punily dispensed, I loathe having to ask for more) and the food worth having again, if I can put it that way. The choice of Italian, Asian (Chinese) and Tex Mex is a good mix although I never tried the latter. You must reserve ahead. I confess to missing those deep fried ice cream balls at the Asian restaurant though! Book reservations and remember to tip your servers and staff! BUFFET DINING - THREE STARS Variety and quality slipped somewhat since my last visit in July of 2022. Keep in mind that buffet food is buffet food. You will not go hungry but you may not get what you want or what you want how you like it. Shortcomings included food not warm enough (precooked pasta for example), watery food (the frozen vegetables), bland (as in pizza slices), and missing in action like stewed chicken, black bean rice, cooked white beans in tomato sauce that Cubans do so well, chicken (I had a bit twice in four sittings), tomatoes and scrambled or boiled eggs some mornings. In addition to beef (tough) and fish, there was liver that was cooked well and good but missing were the cooked onions and mushrooms (which they have). Now there are two grill stations for morning omelettes, pork, beef and fish in the evenings but on my four visits, I did not see grilled chicken on offer. Some days it seems they chose not to offer scrambled or boiled eggs. Better they did as many folks prefer that to lining up and watching the cook spin omelettes until he practically drops at shift's end. As for juices, I missed my mango and pineapple juice 😏😦 and didn't care for the others but they had a daily assortment of fruit including pineapple and bananas. Like most places, you may recognize last night's broccoli or brussel sprouts at breakfast, it's called recycled food, can you blame them for not throwing it out? No, so long as they do know what should be tossed. Special shout out to Oriel, the big guy with the warm welcome! IMPORTANT POINT - Some say you "gotta be there when the buffet doors open to get a good meal." Sorry, I don't buy that nor should anyone. Food ought to be put out throughout the course of the dinner hours so regardless of whether guests arrive at 7 P.M. or 8:45 P.M., there ought to be fresh chicken put out, more of this and that and so on ... After all, we all paid our way and door crashers ought not be rewarded nor should late arrivals (in "slow vacation mode"), be made to pay for avoiding the crowding that can occur at opening. CONCLUSION - Sol Palmeras is a year's old favourite for many now known as Sol by Melia. It's massive property and stylish grandeur features loads of places to sit and relax, a lovely well lite lobby bar area, an outdoor patio for smoking your favourite Cuban cigar, a large pool, nice pool bar, disco, fine a la carte dining and great stretch of beach with mostly renovated, well equipped rooms and helpful staff that guarantee a pleasant, memorable holiday experience. While prices can be steep at times, everyone should consider embarking there on holiday. You won't regret it. At $1,158 for single occupancy out of Toronto (Dec. 7) with Hola Sun/Air Transat (1 week) and the two week bill $2,098 it's also not your most expensive 4 star hotel. Happy travels, Steve Anthony_Toronto

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